


Tension

by madswithhands



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Arranged Marriage, HotLock week 2020, M/M, Megastarop if you really squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:20:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27492583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madswithhands/pseuds/madswithhands
Summary: There was so much tension in the room, Optimus never breaking optic contact with Megatron, and for the first time Hot Rod didn’t want the room to break out into a screaming match.Who was he kidding, he was going to be lucky if Megatron’s fangs, or Starscream's talons, didn’t tear out Optimus’ throat first.
Relationships: Drift | Deadlock/Hot Rod
Comments: 5
Kudos: 54
Collections: HotLock Week 2020





	Tension

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2: Tension!
> 
> Thanks to Cieltee for being an awesome beta! 
> 
> They did want me to add onto this au, so I -might- after the hotlock week is over. No promises tho.

Peace meetings, oh peace meetings.

It wasn’t that Hot Rod didn’t want peace, per se. It was just being trapped in the room with Optimus, Prowl, and Jazz, as well as Megatron and his cohorts wasn’t the most appealing thing in the world. Especially when he got dirty looks from Megatron if he so much as tapped his digits on the table too loud. But this meeting, oh this one, Primus; you could practically cut through the air with a knife. Hot Rod managed to not make a single peep, even if his digits wanted to rapt on the table. He could tell Jazz knew it too, seeing as the saboteur wasn’t seeing how far he could lean back in his seat for once. Holding in an ex-vent, Hot Rod bit the inside metal-mesh of his cheek and glanced at the mech sitting on the other side of the table.

Deadlock barely looked any better, his faceplates stiff. He didn’t meet Hot Rod’s optics, the red mech’s derma pressed into a thin line, until his focus was stolen by a sharp growl.

Starscream was standing up, wings held high and fangs bared at Optimus. “And how do we know you won’t go back on your word, Prime?” The seeker snarled. “You’ll barely agree to one treaty-” he was cut off by Optimus himself.

“Your treaty has holes, Starscream. If we want to work together to fix our planet, both factions have to pull their own weight.” Optimus spread his servos. “I know Grapple and Hoist are eager to begin construction, and I’m sure the Constructicons are as well. But I will not allow one faction to pull more weight than they can handle, especially when one does not have enough energon to spare,” he concluded, sparing a pointed look at Megatron.

Megatron seemed to hold in an ex-vent of his own, as he held up a servo to stop Starscream from replying to that. Though it seemed as he wanted to rip the offending servo from its user, Starscream sat back down in a huff. Steepling his servos together, Megatron rolled back his shoulders, and nodded.

“Prime, I understand your concern, and as un-needed as it is,” he said with a glare, but the tiredness from the red optics detracted the harshness from it. “We will work on another plan. But that is not what Starscream was talking about.”

Optimus leaned forward in his seat, as well as Prowl. “Then what was he talking about?” Prowl sharply inquired, doorwings held as sharply as Starscream’s wings.

Megatron glanced at Prowl, before returning his attention to Optimus. “Soundwave was the one to bring it up, as well as Shockwave, surprisingly.” This got Hot Rod’s attention quick. Anything Shockwave had to say was to be met with scrutiny. “We need something to hold the factions together, not just pretty words and a flimsy treaty,” the imposing grey mech concluded.

Hot Rod felt himself sink in his seat, glancing at Deadlock from across the table. And was surprised to see that Deadlock was looking at him now, face pinched.

Optimus cleared his throat, as Jazz leaned across the table, propping his helm on his servos.

“An’ what would be better than a ‘flimsy treaty’ an’ ‘pretty words,’ hn?” the saboteur asked, his visor flashing for a second.

Starscream smirk, something that never bared anyone well. “It’s something the elite used to do in the Golden Age,” The seeker started. “Something to keep the other party keen on a deal, so to speak. A bonding of convenience, if you will.”

Prowl had a look on his face, optics glowing. “‘A bonding of convenience?’ You do realise why that stayed in the Golden Age, correct?” he inquired, crossing his arms.

Starscream simply shrugged. “It’s a way to keep our factions in place, don’t you see.” Turning his attention to Optimus, the seeker smirked once again. “And it makes the neutrals happy as well. Two mechs of opposite factions, joining in union.”

Turning his attention to Optimus as well, Hot Rod watched as a flicker of emotion flash across his face, shoulders dropping a bit.

Oh, that wasn’t good.

Finally deciding to speak up, Hot Rod loudly cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat. “And just who do you think would agree to something like that?” He asked, smiling at the seekers annoyed expression. “What? I'm just saying. If you think Optimus would force some mech to do this out of du...ty” Hot Rod leaned up in his seat and suddenly Optimus’ expression made sense. “Oh no, and you said I was impulsive,” he finished, mumbling the last part as the Autobot leader flinched a bit. Turning to face Megatron and Starscream, as well as Soundwave and Deadlock, Hot Rod placed a servo on his chassis.

“There is no way you’re trapping Optimus in a relationship,” he said sternly, even as Optimus, as well as Prowl, tried to shush him. Well, more like Optimus trying to tell him it was ok and Prowl trying to glare him into submission. Jazz did look a bit perturbed, not at him, but most likely the situation as a whole. “That’s fragged up, even if it is for the ‘good of both factions,’“ Hot Rod finished, about to say more until Starscream spoke up again.

“Oh? Is that a volunteer I hear?” he said nastily, wings tilting a bit.

Oh, how the speedster wanted to punch that smug look off of his face, but Megatron stood up before Hot Rod could reply.

“Hot Rod, are you volunteering?” The Deception leader asked, voice doubtful. Primus. But just as it looked as if Optimus was about to say no for him, Hot Rod puffed up and stood as well.

“Yeah, I am. Cause like Pit am I gonna let you trap Optimus in a relationship.”

Optimus sighed, looking on as Megatron and Hot Rod held each others’ gazes, before standing up as well. “Hot Rod, are you sure you want to go through with this?” He softly inquired, as if Hot Rod was the Autobot leader instead of him.

Optimus’ words did not ease nor deter him, however. “Yeah, I’m sure Optimus. Better me than you, at any rate,” Hot Rod remarked with a smirk. “After all, I don’t want to be the one to explain to Elita why you’ve gone and bonded yourself to mecha she barely trusts.” _Barely, meaning she wouldn’t trust Megatron nor Starscream with her Amica over her offlined frame,_ the speedster thought to himself, recollecting how Elita made it clear on numerous occasions on how she felt about the Decepticons in question. Really, Hot Rod was doing Optimus a favor.

The colors of emotions that flashed over Megatron and Starscreams’ face-plates were priceless, but it wasn’t as funny when Optimus looked away almost bashfully. Oh, there is something definitely going on here, the speedster thought, but ‘Rod felt inclined to leave it be thanks to Prowls’ icy glare and Jazzs’ careful optics.

Clapping his servos together, Hot Rod tilted his hips just so, a coy smile on his derma and servos on his hips. “So, who’re you gonna pair me with? Vortex? Turmoil? Oh, or maybe Onslaught or-” Hot Rod was cut off by someone sharply clearing his vox.

“Me.” Deadlock said, red optics sharp. Hot Rod blinked, his next words dying on his lips as he looked at the other with wide optics. Megatron looked a bit surprised, but Starscream had an almost manic look in his optics as he smiled widely.

Oh.

Hot Rod almost thought he had heard the seeker say ‘Skywarp better pay up’, before clapping his own taloned servos. “Well, now that that’s settled; lets move to the housing situation, shall we?”

 _Oh_.

Starscreams’ voice became faint as Hot Rod kept Deadlocks’ gaze, feeling his face start to fluster, before he finally broke it and sat back down. Jazz nudged him with his arm, a small smile on his derma. “Well, looks like this worked out for ya, huh?” he whispered, before tuning back into the conversation. Hot Rod weakly nodded, before slowly looking back to Deadlock. The mech hadn't broken his gaze. Frag.

What had Hot Rod gotten himself into


End file.
